Daijiworld Media Network - Hyderabad
Hyderabad, Jul 6: Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday called on the Telangana government to immediately begin issuing Permanent Residence Certificates (PRCs) to economically weaker sections, warning that the absence of essential documents could leave many eligible citizens vulnerable to exclusion during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Addressing a workshop for volunteer lawyers assisting voters during the revision process, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president questioned why the state government had not acted despite repeated appeals.
Owaisi said many poor residents of Telangana lack the documentation required during the voter list revision exercise and argued that the ruling government was out of touch with ground realities if it failed to recognise this problem.
He urged the ruling Indian National Congress not to wait until the final electoral roll is published before expressing concern or alleging any conspiracy, insisting that issuing PRCs would be a practical solution to safeguard eligible voters.
Drawing a comparison with neighbouring Karnataka, where the Congress is also in power, Owaisi asked why Permanent Residence Certificates were being issued there but not in Telangana.
The Hyderabad MP said he had already discussed the issue with Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and was seeking a meeting with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to press the demand further.
He also criticised the Centre's documentation requirements during the SIR exercise, questioning why two BJP MPs from Telangana, who serve as Union ministers, had not persuaded the Central government to accept documents such as PAN cards, driving licences and food security cards for voter verification.
Owaisi proposed that individuals born in Telangana whose names—or those of their parents or grandparents—appear in the 2002 electoral roll should be issued PRCs without delay.
Referring to Supreme Court guidelines on domicile eligibility, he noted that students who have studied in educational institutions in the state for four consecutive years are recognised for education and employment purposes, and argued that the same principle should apply while issuing residence certificates.
He suggested that the state government use documents such as Aadhaar cards, ration cards, school records and revenue records as the basis for granting PRCs to eligible residents.
The AIMIM chief also targeted the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, accusing the party of remaining silent on the voter list revision despite having governed Telangana for a decade. He claimed the previous government had failed to raise concerns with the Election Commission of India over the non-availability of several documents listed as indicative proofs in the state.
Owaisi further argued that documentation remains a major challenge for poor families across India, irrespective of religion. He said people born after 2004 are required to furnish documents relating to both themselves and their parents, making the process especially difficult for economically disadvantaged households.
Citing data from five states, he claimed that around 52 per cent of people from poorer sections do not possess birth certificates, 42 per cent lack caste certificates and 41 per cent do not have domicile certificates. In comparison, he said more than 82 per cent of children from affluent families possess birth certificates, highlighting what he described as a significant disparity in access to essential documentation.